One month after the Ministry of Health announced the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the death of former MP Falah Al-Sawagh in Al-Babtain Hospital as a result of medical error, the main suspect — the doctor responsible for sedating the late Al-Sawagh — has fled the country.

This is indicative of serious loopholes in the procedures of Ministry of Health which facilitated the escape of the accused doctor. This is not the first time such an incident is happening.

Several months ago, another Egyptian doctor who was working in Jahra Hospital managed to escape following the death of one of his patients — a Kuwaiti citizen Saud Al-Azmi — in a similar incident.

In this context, sources affiliated to Ministry of Health said, “The Egyptian doctor received his passport and left the country after managing to attain exit clearance from one of the officials in Al-Babtain Hospital and giving ‘power of attorney’ to one of his friends”.

Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Al-Fadhli, the doctor in charge of filing the accidental manslaughter case affirmed that he filed the case so that the judiciary can ensure justice for the victim by issuing an appropriate verdict.

He indicated that, “The fact-finding committee is under immense pressure with the objective of clearing Ministry of Health from the responsibility”. He expressed shock concerning the escape of the accused doctor out of the country prior to the completion of the investigations.

Previously, on October 11, 2016, Ministry of Health had announced the launch of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of former MP Falah Al-Sawagh Al-Azmi. In a statement issued by the ministry, people were urged not to speculate on the cause of the former MP’s death until the investigation was completed.

In the same context, candidates of the upcoming parliamentary elections Jama’an Al-Harbash, Mubarak Al-Walaan and Nayef Al-Mirdas stressed that they place the Minister of Health completely responsible for allowing the doctor to travel out of the country before the end of investigation over a case in which that doctor is the main suspect.